The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-02
WASHINGTON LETTER


WAsHISeros. D. O., Nov. 30, 1887.
Already have reported TO you the
current capital gossip concerning the
Cabinet changes--th.t Mr.. Lamar will
be translated to the Supreme Bench,
that Postmaster General Villas is TO
succeed him, and that Mr.. Dickinson
of Michigan, will be the latters suo-
cessor. Still another rumor is that Mr..
Whitney expects to resign from the
Cabinet unless his health greatly i'm.
proves within the next two months,
his friends claiming that man of the
vast wealth and great social promi.
nence Of the present Secretary of the
Navy, cannot afford to endanger his
existence by further devoting himself
10 the onerous duties incumbent upon
him.
Many New York Democrats were
extremely solicitous for the President
to 90 to his old home at Buffalo and
vote in the late election, and much dis
appointment was felt that he did not
crafty public expectation in that re.
spect. But the President lad a good
reason for absenting himself, as he had
learned from trustworthy sources, that
his presence at tine polls would have
been the occasion of an undignitied
aud unseemly demonstration on the
part of club Of intensely partisan
Republicans, as it was their unpatriot.
ic purpose 10 challenge Mr.. Cleveland's 4
right to vote, on the ground that he is
not now legal resident of Buffalo.
In view of this exposed conspiracy, il
is doubtful if Mr.. Cleveland again
votes during his Presidency, and wher
his motive is understood, it will be ap-
plauded by all unbiased minds.
Messrs Carlisle and Randall are both
in the city, and while neither is willing
to take the public into his confidence,
through the medium of the press, it is
highly probable that these great lead.
ers may have an informal conference
before the meeting of Congress, with
the view of making "the two wings OF
the Democracy flap together on the
tariff question, in the language of Mr..
Randall during speech in the Forty
ninth Congress.
The forthcoming report of Secretary
Fairchild is awaited with no ordinary
degree of Interest by the fnanoia
world, as it is expected that he will
take advanced ground on the questions
of the Treasury surplus, and the silver
currency. That the Secretary is la.
boriously and carefully applying him
self to the important undertaking that
devolves upon him, is evidenced by the
fact that to accomplish it he has for
several days confined himself to the
privacy of his home, in order not to be
diverted from his work by visitors to
the Department.
Secretary Lamar in his report, which
is completed but not yet published, rec
ommends that the Inter State Com.
merce Commission be detached from
the Interior Department and made di
rectly responsible TO Congress or the
President for its acts, as at present the
Secretary of the Interior only officates
in the capacity of disbursing officer
for the Commission-it appearing that
he has no jurisdiction over that body
at all.
There is a great pressure of business
at the General Land Office in the way
of issuing agricultural patents, 24OO
having been made out during the past
month, and others in course of prepa-
ration will increase the number to
5000 for the month of November,
which almost outrivals any previous
record.
The balance of power in the United
States Senate is lodged with the roll
licking Riddleberger, the Senator from
Virginia, who holds in the hollow of
his hand the political future of three
Democratic claimants to seats-Messrs.
Lucas and Faulkner. of West Virginia,
and M. Turpie, of Indiana. Senator
Riddleberger states that he will en-
deavor to act as conscientiously in
these controversies as if he were on
the Supreme Bench of the United
States.
The Republican Senate has more
thaa enough chairmanships to go
around-there being forty seven Sen
ate committees to only thirty-eight
Republican Senators, and so it is likely
that the majority party will very gen.
erously bestow the nine surplus places
on their Democratic brethren.